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biology > B4 - community level systems > Flashcards

B4 - community level systems Flashcards

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AP® Biology flashcards Biology 101 flashcards
1
Q

what are abiotic factors?

A

the non-living factors of an ecosystem, e.g. temperature or light intensity

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2
Q

what is aerobic decomposition?

A

organisms break down dead or decaying matter (decompose) in the presence of sufficient oxygen

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3
Q

what is anaerobic decomposition?

A

organisms carry out decomposition in the absence of oxygen producing carbon dioxide and methane gas; this usually happens in waterlogged soils

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4
Q

what is biomass?

A

the mass of all the living material present in a particular area or particular organism

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5
Q

what are biotic factors?

A

the living factors of an ecosystem, e.g. food availability or pathogens

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6
Q

what is the carbon cycle?

A

the cycle through which carbon (in the form of carbon dioxide) moves between the environment and living organisms; it involves respiration, photosynthesis, combustion and decomposition

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7
Q

what is combustion?

A

the process by which organic matter is burnt to release energy as well as carbon dioxide and water; it is part of the carbon cycle

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8
Q

what is a community?

A

all the populations of different species that are living in a habitat together

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9
Q

what is competition?

A

when different organisms compete for the same resources (e.g. food, shelter and mates) in an ecosystem; it limits population size

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10
Q

what is compost?

A

dead or decaying matter that is often used as fertiliser for crops

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11
Q

what is a decomposer?

A

an organism that feeds on dead and decaying matter

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12
Q

what is decomposition?

A

the process of breaking down dead material into simple organic matter; the decomposition rate is influenced by water availability, oxygen availability and temperature

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13
Q

what is an ecosystem?

A

the community of organisms and non-living components of an area and their interactions

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14
Q

what is egestion?

A

the removal of undigested food from the body as faeces

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15
Q

what is excretion?

A

the removal of metabolic waste from the body

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16
Q

what is a food chain?

A

shows the feeding relationships between organisms and the resultant biomass transfer

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17
Q

what is a habitat?

A

the place where plants, animals and other living organisms live

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18
Q

what is interdependence?

A

the dependence of organisms on each other in order to survive

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18
Q

what are microorganisms?

A

very small organisms that are involved in the recycling of materials in an ecosystem; they can convert carbon into carbon dioxide which is then released into the atmosphere; they also return mineral ions to the soil

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19
Q

what is a host?

A

the organisms on/in which the parasite lives

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20
Q

what is mutualism?

A

the interaction between two organisms where both benefit as a result of their relationship

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21
Q

what is a parasite?

A

an organism which feeds on or in a host organism at the expense of the host

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22
Q

what is parasitism?

A

the interaction between two organisms where only one organism, the parasite, benefits whilst the host cell does not

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23
Q

what is precipitation?

A

a part of the water cycle where water returns to land in the form of rain, snow or hail

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24
Q

what is predation?

A

a biological relationship in which a member of one species consumes the member of another species

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25
Q

what is a predator?

A

a consumer that preys on and eats other animals

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26
Q

what is prey?

A

a consumer that is eaten by a predator

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27
Q

what is a primary consumer?

A

an organism that cannot produce its own food, so must obtain energy by feeding on the producer; they are herbivores which consume at trophic level two of a food chain

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28
Q

what is a producer?

A

an organism that makes its own food, usually via photosynthesis

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29
Q

what is a pyramid of biomass?

A

a table showing the dry mass of living material at each trophic level in a food chain; this table forms the shape of a pyramid

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30
Q

what is a secondary consumer?

A

an organism that cannot produce its own food so must obtain its energy by feeding on the primary consumer; they are carnivores which consume at trophic level three of the food chain

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31
Q

what is a species?

A

a group of organisms that can interbreed and produce fertile offspring

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32
Q

what is a water cycle?

A

the cycle of water moving between the environment and living organisms; it involves:
- precipitation
- condensation
- transpiration
- biomass transfer
- evaporation

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33
Q

what is a population?

A

all the members of a single species that live in a particular habitat

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34
Q

what are some examples of biotic factors?

A
  • organic matter
  • living things
  • oysters
  • blue crabs
  • zooplankton
  • phytoplankton
  • jellyfish
  • disease
  • competition (between living organisms)
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35
Q

what are some examples of abiotic factors?

A
  • climate
  • non-living things
  • sunlight
  • temperature
  • nutrient enrichment
  • humidity
  • soil
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36
Q

what are some physical factors?

A
  • carbon dioxide
  • water
  • temperature
  • oxygen
  • nutrients
  • light
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37
Q

how is temperature measured?

A

thermometer or temperature probe

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38
Q

how are nutrients and soil pH measured?

A

chemical analysis/indicator paper

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39
Q

how is the amount of light measured?

A

light meter or light sensor

40
Q

how is water measured?

A

rain gauge/dehydrate soil sample

41
Q

how is oxygen measured?

A

gas probe

42
Q

how is carbon dioxide measured?

A

gas probe

43
Q

what is the range?

A

the difference between the lowest and highest values

44
Q

give one way in which an increase in temperature affects organisms

A

enzyme activity would increase until it begins to denature; increase enzyme activity/metabolism

45
Q

what are the names for each trophic level?

A
  • producer
  • primary consumer
  • secondary consumer
    etc
46
Q

are all producers plants?

A

anything that can trap initial energy (usually photosynthesising)
e.g. photosynthetic bacteria, chemotrophic bacteria, algae

47
Q

what features do predators have to help them?

A
  • eyes set forward
  • sharp teeth/beak/claws
  • good eye sight/hearing/sense of smell
  • camouflage/stealth
48
Q

what features do prey have to help them?

A
  • eyes at the side of head
  • large eyes/good sense of smell
  • camouflaged
  • can be nocturnal
  • powerful hind legs/small, agile body/always alert
49
Q

example of a predator?

A

lion

50
Q

example of prey?

A

zebra

51
Q

how do the features of predators help them?

A
  • eyes set forward = spot prey, giving depth of field
  • sharp teeth etc = pierce and tear flesh
  • good senses = spot prey from far
  • camo = to ambush prey (get close easily)
52
Q

how do the features of prey help them?

A
  • eyes at side = wide angle of view
  • large eyes/smell = sense predator fast
  • camo = avoid being seen
  • nocturnal = avoid predators in day
  • hind legs/agile/alert = ready to run away
53
Q

what does the area of each bar represent in a pyramid of number?

A

number of organisms at each trophic level in a specified area

54
Q

what does the area of each bar represent in a pyramid of biomass?

A

amount of organic matter (biomass) at each trophic level in a specified area

55
Q

disadvantages of pyramids of biomass?

A
  • organisms need to be collected and killed to measure dry mass
  • difficult to catch and dry organisms
  • biomass varies (tree in summer>winter)
  • some organisms are omnivores and feed at more than one level
56
Q

why is biomass lost?

A
  • some plant material which can’t be digested leaves body as faeces
  • some animal material can’t be digested e.g. bone, hooves, teeth
  • biomass eaten by animals used in respiration to release energy and leaves as CO2 and water
57
Q

what bodily functions cause biomass to be lost?

A
  • biomass lost in faeces
  • biomass lost in urine
  • biomass lost provides energy for movement, growth etc
  • energy from respiration transferred by heating surroundings
58
Q

what % of energy is lost between trophic levels?

A

90% of energy lost as heat and in undigested materials

59
Q

how is efficiency of energy transfer calculated? (%)

A

% = (energy transferred to next level/energy in previous level) x 100

(feeder/food) x100

60
Q

what is a detritovore?

A

small animal which breaks down organic matter into small pieces; can help speed up decomposition

61
Q

what are some examples of decomposers?

A
  • bacteria
  • fungi
  • some insects
  • snails
62
Q

how do decomposers release nutrients?

A

enzymes!

63
Q

how do decomposers use enzymes?

A
  1. fungus releases enzymes onto dead remains
  2. enzymes digest the dead matter, making it soluble
  3. soluble products are absorbed by fungus
64
Q

what factors affect rate of decomposition?

A
  • temperature
  • oxygen availability
  • water content
65
Q

how does temperature affect rate of decomposition?

A
  • too high = denatured enzymes
  • prevents decomposition
  • death of microorganism
66
Q

how does oxygen availability affect rate of decomposition?

A
  • O2 needed for respiration
  • anaerobic conditions prevent most decomposition
  • microorganisms cannot survive anaerobic conditions
67
Q

how does water content affect rate of decomposition?

A
  • little water would slow down reactions
  • reduces/stops decomposition
68
Q

how is rate of decay calculated? (g/day)

A

g/day = change in mass/time

69
Q

what % of carbon dioxide does the atmosphere contain?

A

0.04%

70
Q

what is carbon used for?

A

photosynthesis

71
Q

how do animals get carbon?

A

by eating plants

72
Q

how is carbon returned to the atmosphere?

A

by respiration and combustion

73
Q

what three cycles are important for living organisms?

A
  • water cycle
  • carbon cycle
  • nitrogen cycle
74
Q

what % of nitrogen does the atmosphere contain?

A

78%

75
Q

what is nitrogen found in, besides the atmosphere?

A

the soil

76
Q

what do animals need nitrogen for?

A

protein-synthesis

77
Q

what can bacteria do to plants and animals?

A

decompose them

78
Q

what are denitrifying bacteria?

A

are in the soil breaking down nitrates, releasing nitrogen into the air

79
Q

what are nitrogen fixing bacteria?

A

convert nitrogen gas into a useable form for the plants

80
Q

what are nitrifying bacteria?

A

convert the ammonia (in urine) to nitrates

81
Q

what do life forms use nitrogen to make?

A

proteins and DNA

82
Q

what are some fixed forms that nitrogen is useable for plants and animals as?

A

nitrate ions, ammonia and urea

83
Q

what can lightning do to nitrogen gas?

A

enormous amounts of energy from lightning can break nitrogen gas molecules, allowing it to combine with oxygen to form nitrogen oxides, which then dissolve rain to form NO3

84
Q

what happens to NO3?

A

NO3 enters the soil and is absorbed by the plants through the roots, the plant uses the nitrogen to make proteins

85
Q

what happens when nitrogen gas enters the soil?

A

nitrogen gas can enter the soil; nitrogen-fixing bacteria can turn nitrogen gas into nitrates

86
Q

what is the name of the process of when nitrates in the soil are made using nitrogen gas from the air?

A

nitrogen-fixation

87
Q

where are nitrogen-fixing bacteria found?

A

nitrogen-fixing bacteria found in the soil live in root nodules of leguminous plants (e.g. peas, beans and clover)

88
Q

what do primary consumers eat?

A

they are herbivore animals that eat plants and digest the plant proteins and use the products (amino acids) to make their own proteins

89
Q

how does decomposition involve nitrogen?

A

when animals die, decomposer bacteria break down proteins in the dead organism, releasing nitrates back into the soil, the plants absorb the nitrates

90
Q

what does denitrifying bacteria do?

A

denitrifying bacteria in the soil break down nitrates and release nitrogen back into the air; this process is called denitrification

91
Q

what is water important for?

A
  1. maintaining habitats
  2. allowing nutrients to flow between organisms and the environment
  3. survival of organisms
92
Q

what happens to water during evaporation?

A
  • water turns from liquid to gas when it evaporates
  • energy from the sun can evaporate water e.g. ponds, oceans etc
93
Q

what happens to water during condensation?

A
  • after evaporation, water can cool and convert from gas to liquid (often forming clouds)
94
Q

what happens to water during transport?

A
  • water within clouds can be blown many miles by strong winds and so is transported to other areas
95
Q

what happens to water during precipitation?

A
  • precipitation occurs when rain, snow, hail and sleet fall from the sky
96
Q

what happens to water during surface run-off?

A
  • much water will be absorbed into the ground after precipitation but if a large amount falls or the ground is already wet, some water can run along ground surface
97
Q

what happens to water during infiltration?

A
  • occurs when water that has fallen as precipitation is absorbed into ground, this can be stored within underground rocks called aquifers
98
Q

what happens to water during transpiration?

A
  • plants need to maintain a constant stream of water to their leaves for photosynthesis, support and transport of minerals, they allow some water to evaporate as water vapour from their leaves so that more water is continuously ‘pulled’ to their leaves from the soil

biology (7 decks)

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